I need to get an appropriate carry piece to, in the daylight, descend into a not so deep canyon to see where the predatory mountain lions hang out and process their prey.
Thoughts?
[I only have a .357 4” which seems a bit heavy and has not enough rounds...]
I would go with a compact 10mm like the Springfield Armory Compact Elite. The 10 [really 11] round magazines are the short ones. You can use 15 round magazines for backup. Hot 1omm rounds are comparable to hot .357 mag rounds.
My Hi Point .45 is heavy.
When I run outta bullets I can beat you to death with it.
If you want a light weight .357 try the SW PD340 - just under 12oz unloaded. But only 5 rounds.
Sounds like you’re about 10,000 percent better armed than the hippie exploring the other end of the canyon.
I’d suggest a 158gr soft point round, same as one would carry for deer hunting...
And be proficient with it. Practice every chance you get. Nothing wrong with once a week.
You are looking for a gun to carry while you look for and hopefully find the hangout and eating place of mountain lions, since it is for a purpose that requires you to enter it armed, why not carry a short shotgun or AR, a backup pistol and a good knife, or at least the shotgun and knife?